District Attorney unveils his legislative priorities

Dec 30, 2024-DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton has unveiled his legislative priorities for the upcoming 2025 session which he said will focus on enhancing the state’s criminal justice system and ensuring that violent criminals are behind bars.

“While I am not driving the bus on these changes, I understand the importance of being on the bus,” Barton said. “These priorities can dramatically improve public safety and accelerate justice in Mississippi. This year I am proposing new reforms that will save Mississippians millions of dollars, make communities safer, and allow law enforcement to operate more efficiently.”

Barton’s proposed legislative priorities include:

Redefine Burglary Tools to Include Auto Programmers

With rising auto burglaries in counties near Memphis, the District Attorney’s Office is proposing a legislative change to explicitly include auto programmers as “burglary tools” under Mississippi law, empowering law enforcement to better address the emerging issue of grand theft auto in DeSoto County and elsewhere.

Establishment of a Law Enforcement Training Academy in DeSoto County

A proposal for a dedicated law enforcement training academy in DeSoto County to reduce training costs for municipalities and enhance recruitment efforts, improving the quality of policing across Mississippi’s third-largest county.

Introduce Legislation for Harsher Penalties in Extreme Cases of Human Torture

A proposal to protect victims from acts of extreme cruelty, which would carry a minimum 30-year sentence and the possibility of life in prison.

Creation of the Mississippi Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program

The Office is proposing a program to certify licensed bail bond agents as bounty hunters focused on locating undocumented immigrants. This program would streamline enforcement of federal immigration priorities with the incoming administration.

Transfer the Authority to Determine the Method of Execution

A proposal to transfer the authority to determine execution methods from the Department of Corrections to a jury, judge or board, ensuring that executions of death-row inmates are carried out in a more cost-effective and fair manner for victims.

Legislation that Bans Social Media Accounts for Minors

In response to growing concerns about social media’s negative impact on children, Barton proposes a bill that would ban minors under 13 from having social media accounts, aiming to protect them from online exploitation, cyberbullying, and mental health risks.

Preventing a Judicial Bottleneck by Adding Judges in DeSoto County

DeSoto County, one of the fastest-growing counties in Mississippi, is facing a critical shortage of circuit and chancery judges. The growing caseload has created a bottleneck, which prevents timely prosecution of cases. Without additional judges and prosecutors, the courts will struggle to advance, and justice will be delayed. Barton is urging the legislature to address this issue during judicial redistricting this year, advocating for more judges and prosecutors to keep the judicial system moving forward.

Metro DeSoto Crime Lab Funding

A proposal to assist local leaders in funding a crime lab in Northwest Mississippi that aims to share the costs between the county and cities. This metro crime lab well help reduce the backlog of cases and prevent some cases from reaching statute of limitations.

“We are investing millions of tax dollars into convention centers, arenas, and infrastructure in DeSoto County, which are great for the economic attractiveness of our area,” said Barton. “However, if we don’t ensure public safety keeps pace with these investments, we risk creating the next Mall of Memphis or Whitehaven, where crime will ultimately undermine these developments.”